Sal,
In a hundred years, quite a few people will have mental lists of the greatest scientists and artists of the twentieth century. A few will know who the most important secondary figures were: the statesmen, the actors, the world-dominating psychos. Maybe one or two engineers, as we now remember Fulton, Bell, Edison.
Nobody much will give a rats ass who the richest guy in the world was.
Think about it. Without reading up on it, how many could name the worlds 10 richest businessmen in 1750? Who would care to try, and what are the chances of them being right? Try even naming ten. (Then try to love them ;-)
On the other hand I bet that you could name half a dozen Renaissance or 19th century artists with no problem (I hope so, anyway, for your sake.)
Now I know you have named Rockefeller, Carnegie, etc. But all of those are remembered not because of their financial accomplishments but because of the opposite: Their philanthropy, in particular their support for the arts! You remember these names (besides for the fact that their heirs are still running for office in some cases), by the fact that their name is on the doorway of the library or theater you go to. those were not the *only* or even the most wealthy men of the turn of the century. Think about why you remember them in particular. To the extent that they deviated from the archetypical Midas you remember them.
But as I said, name us the richest ones from the 17th or 18th century. It's pretty hard. Then try a list of, say, writers. Or musicians. Or explorers. Or generals.
Chaz |
